


Lost and Found

by obbets



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Gen, dad fic, nurse hen knows more than anyone but she will never tell, papa julian, she is the coolest person in this fic sorry i don't make the rules
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 04:32:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17217044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obbets/pseuds/obbets
Summary: A doctor rushing to his clinic in the morning hears a strange sound. Upon further investigation, the sound is revealed to be a child in pain. What was he supposed to do? Leave them there?





	Lost and Found

Julian hurried down the street, shrugging his jacket over his shoulders, hastily trying to fasten the snaps of his medical bag closed without letting any of his precious components fall out. He splashed through puddles, wishing he had time to fully appreciate the view of the pre-dawn light gently beginning to wake the city.

Late! It would simply not do to be late to one’s own clinic. What kind of doctor would do a thing like that?! No doctor worth his salt is late, what will Nurse Superior think? He was already half convinced she secretly hated him, so best not to give her another reason-

What was that?

A strange sound broke him out of his thoughts. It sounded almost like- a sob? He stopped for a second, listening, but the sound did not come again. He must have imagined it.

The glint of the rising sun reflecting off a nearby window (a bakery, if that delicious smell was any hint) reminded s him that he had mere minutes to get to his clinic before all hell breaks loose.

He dashed off again—immediately skidding to a halt. He heard it. There. A muffled gasp, coming from just around the corner.

He stepped lightly, avoiding puddles and loose stones. It wasn’t the nicest part of town, and if that noise turned out to be someone with ill intentions, it would pay for him to be on his guard.

His guard dropped immediately when he peeked round the corner. Some filthy little slip of a child was curled up, mostly-silent tears streaming down their cheeks, holding one arm to their chest in a way he instantly recognised.

Julian was in doctor mode immediately. Slowly, he stepped towards the child, for it could not be anything else, deliberately kicking a couple of stones to announce his presence. The child’s gaze snapped up, and although their tears didn’t stop, they tensed.

“Wh-who are you! I’m warning you, you had best not try anything, mister! I’ll- I’ll kill you!” They dashed the tears away with the back of their good arm, but it jostled them, and Julian heard the pained grunt that the child tried to stifle. “Sta-stay back!”

His heart simultaneously warmed, for the brave way they attempted to protect themself, and broke, for the fact that it should be necessary. He didn’t move any closer from where he was, and crouched down to get on the child’s level.

In his calmest, most soothing voice, he said, “My name is Julian, and I am a doctor. What is your name?”

The child regarded him suspiciously, but couldn’t seem to think of any reason not to answer. “Ealin.” they mumbled, eventually.

“Well, Ealin, it is lovely to meet you.” Julian smiled at them, in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. “It looks like your arm hurts, sweetheart. Do you mind telling me what happened?”

They narrowed their eyes at him. “What’s it to you?”

“Firstly, I am a doctor. It’s my job to find out why people are hurting, and to help make it better. Secondly, I am an adult, and it’s an adult’s job to keep children safe from harm.” He settled down, and waited for Ealin to speak.

After a pause, where the child seemed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop, they eventually said “…I was running. I…fell.”

He wasn’t sure that was the whole story, but the fact that the child was trusting him enough to speak to him in the first place was a small miracle. “Well I’m sorry to hear that, sweetheart. Would you like me to give you something for the pain? I was just on my way to my clinic this morning-“ -oh no, the clinic! He glanced up at the sky. The sun had fully risen at this point, and he was irredeemably late. Somehow, looking at the child’s dirty face, he couldn’t bring himself to care. “We can see about fixing you up, hmm?”

Ealin glared at him suspiciously, and shifted, seeming to jostle their arm in doing so. A pained sound escaped them, and more tears flowed down the well worn tracks on their dirty cheeks. “….Yeah. Alright, mister doctor man.”

He beamed at Ealin. “Excellent. Come on then, let’s get you up. May I strap your arm so that you don’t jostle it on the walk?”

Ealin nodded, stiffly.

*

Julian pushed the door open to his clinic, halfway through a story of his days on the open seas that was only somewhat exaggerated. Ealin was clinging onto every word. “So there I was, surrounded by enemy pirates-“

“ _ **Julian Devorak!**_ Where have you _been-“_ Nurse Superior cut herself off, dropping her voice into the sugary sound she reserved for scared children. “Well, hello there, little one! Aren’t you pretty! Has the good doctor brought you to be fixed up?” Ealin nodded, shrinking back slightly, glancing between Nurse Superior and Julian.

Julian smiled for their benefit. “Ealin, meet Nurse Superior. Hen, meet Ealin. They have been so brave on the way here, haven’t you, sweetheart?”

“I do believe it,” said Nurse Superior. “Come on then, Ealin. Let’s get you fixed up.”

*

“…And I do believe that Nurse Superior made a chocolate cake recently, and we shall certainly need help on eating that. You’ve been so brave, Ealin, just hold still for a moment more— there. All done!” Julian tucked the last piece of trailing bandage into the wrapping around Ealin’s arm. A fracture, but hopefully it should heal fast with proper treatment.

Ealin’s stomach grumbled. “…did you say cake?”

Julian smiled.

*

“It appears the good doctor has gained the service of a second shadow,” remarked Nurse Superior.

A shy smile graced Ealin’s face, although they shrank back, peeking around from behind Julian’s legs.

“The cutest shadow I’ve ever seen, wouldn’t you agree?” Julian laughed, ruffling Ealin’s hair gently.

“And the dirtiest. You need a bath, little one. Let’s find out what you look like beneath all that dirt, shall we? Maybe after lunch, you can assist the good doctor with some of his patients, hmm?”

Nurse Superior had a way of taking that brooked no argument, but Julian squatted down in front of Ealin anyway. “Is that all right with you? I shall see you at lunch once you’re all spick ‘n’ span, and I can tell you what happened in the end with the enemy pirates?” Ealin nodded, and Julian grinned. “Then I shall be counting the minutes!”

*

It was getting dark outside, as the last of his patients made their way out. Ealin had been helping him all day. They had opened up once the spotlight wasn’t so fully on them, and although still shy, certainly had a grand sense of humour and a fighting spirit that reminded him of darling Pasha.

Nurse Superior gave him a meaningful look as she wrapped her scarf around her neck, nodding towards Ealin, who was leafing through a medical text with pictures that were perhaps not fully appropriate for their age. But who was Julian to judge a thirst for knowledge? “What are you going to do with them, Julian?”

He looked over as well. “I’m not sure, Hen. I found them in the streets. I don’t know if they have any family left to take them in, and I’ll be damned if I fix them up just to leave them out in the cold again.”

Nurse Superior put her hand on his shoulder. “I know you would never. I trust that you will do what’s best for the child.” Julian winced internally. Responsibility has not always been his strong suit. “Don’t fret too much, Doctor. You could do with a bit more faith in your own judgement, hmm? Perhaps having Ealin around could teach you a thing or two.” There was a teasing quality to her voice that he had not heard before. “Well, I’ll be off. See you tomorrow, Doctor.” And with that, she was gone into the cold night air.

Julian looks at Ealin, still engrossed in the book. He squared his shoulders, and put a cheery smile on his face, walking over and squatting down in front of them. “Hey, clever clogs, it’s about time to close the clinic for the evening.”

They immediately tensed, drawing themself inwards, eyes shuttering and a guarded look stealing over their face. He had not noticed exactly how comfortable they had grown over the course of the day until now, and he regretted their posture, now as tight as a bowstring.

He gentled his tone as far as he was able, and sloped his shoulders in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner. “Do you have any family you know of, sweet? Shall I take you to your parents?”

Ealin shook their head, a sharp, painful motion. “They’re. They’re….at…the lazaret.” Julian’s heart squeezed at the thought. So young, to have lost their parents in such a way. So young to be trying to make their way on their own. Too young.

“I’m so sorry to hear that. Is that why you were in the street, sweetheart? Do you not have anyone to take care of you? Far-flung relatives?”

They didn’t reply, but the silence spoke for them all the same.

“Well then. I see. In that case, would it be okay if you came to stay at my house tonight?”

Ealin’s large eyes blinked widely at him. “What- what do you mean?” Their voice caught in their throat. “Aren’t you… won’t you just leave me where you found me?” They don’t seem at all enthused at the prospect.

“Absolutely not. Do you remember when I said that it is adults’ duty to keep children safe? What kind of adult would I be if I just left you out in the cold, hmm? I’d be the laughing stock of the town! We couldn’t have that, could we? You simply _must_ come and stay with me, it’s for the good of my reputation!” He swooned.

It worked. Ealin laughed, although it did sound a little choked. How sweet the sound!

“Come on then, sweetheart. Let’s find you a coat.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed my fic!
> 
> This was prompted by an ask on my tumblr here: https://the-lazaret.tumblr.com/post/181388855421/ok-so-this-idea-came-to-be-on-the-bus-as-i-often#notes


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